Credit Reporting

The credit reporting industry is big business: over 150 million Americans have credit files that are maintained by the major reporting agencies, and the largest three agencies generate more than one billion credit reports each year. Yet millions of these files contain outdated information and errors that can affect a consumer’s access to home mortgages, car loans and other forms of consumer credit, housing, employment, and even insurance. Consumers should also beware of unscrupulous credit repair agencies that promise to erase bad credit reports.

Policy Analysis

Consumer Group Comments - Prevent Deceptive Marketing of Credit Reports, December 2009

Using Nontraditional Credit Information: Boon or Bane?, June 2009 PDF 39KB

Full Utility Credit Reporting:Risks to Low Income Consumers (Presentation to National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissions), November 2009 PDF 41KB

Amicus Brief of NCLC and NACA in FCRA preemption and furnisher liability case (Gorman v. Wolpoff & Abramson), April 23, 2009 PDF 88KB

Fair Credit Reporting

Automated Injustice: How a Mechanized Dispute System Frustrates Consumers Seeking to Fix Errors in Their Credit Reports Report and Press Release, January 2009 PDF

Transition Memo from Community Legal Services, NCLC, and others to FTC on Background Screening Agencies, December 9, 2008 PDF 92KB

Amicus Brief of NACA, NCLC and others defending statutory damages provision of FCRA against constitutional attack

Appellants' Brief
Department of Justice Brief

Letter opposing H.R. 2885, Credit Monitoring Clarification Act, May 14, 2008 PDF 72KB

Comments on Proposed Guidelines and Rule re: Accuracy and Integrity of Information Furnished to Consumer Reporting Agencies under FACTA Section 312, February 12, 2008 PDF (150KB)

Sample Short Comment Letter (MS Word)

Policy Analysis Archive (2000-2007)

Background Information and Resources

Background Information: FCRA 2003 Amendments

Background Information: Consumer's Union and FCRA